The Wrestler (2008)

[UPDATED 2/24: See end of review.]

THOUGH I HAVEN’T thought about him for years, I would say that I am a fan of Mickey Rourke; his work in ‘80s films Year of the Dragon and Angel Heart immediately come to mind. He was a charismatic actor and a force on the screen – until bad behavior, burned bridges, and a bizarre switch to boxing derailed his career.

Which makes Rourke’s turn in The Wrestler that much more heartbreaking to watch. It’s hard enough to witness what his character goes through, but it’s just as heartbreaking to see what we missed without his presence as a leading man over the last 15 years. (Recommend reading when you’re done here: “Mickey Roars” by Entertainment Weekly’s Chris Nashawaty.)

Plot:
• Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Rourke) was a top professional wrestler in the 1980s, ending the decade with a classic match at Madison Square Garden against his evil nemesis, The Ayatollah (Ernest Miller).
• 20 years later, Randy’s gone from selling out the Garden to wrestling in bingo halls and school gyms. He lives in a trailer park. He drives a van with his own action figure on the dashboard. He still uses ‘80s metal songs for his entrance music. He attends pathetic “fanfests” at local VFWs (with even more pathetic turnouts). He’s broke, but he still spends a thousand dollars a pop on performance-enhancing drugs and tanning booths. And when he’s not wrestling, he’s working at the loading dock of the local Acme.
• For companionship – something he will probably never get from his estranged daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) – Randy turns to lap dances at the local strip club from Cassidy (Marisa Tomei), who, in stripper years, is a bit past her prime as well.
• After suffering a heart attack following a brutal “weapons match,” he’s told that he can’t wrestle anymore or it will kill him. But an enticing offer is dangled in front of him by a local promoter: a 20th-anniversary rematch with The Ayatollah.

Critique:
• Heartwrenching. Grueling. Depressing. Just a few of the words that come to mind when watching The Wrestler, especially Rourke’s performance. It’s already been said by dozens of reviews and bloggers, and it’s true: Rourke is phenomenal. It’s a milestone in character study, with Rourke showing us who Randy is through minimal dialogue and an emphasis on emotions and reactionary acting – reactions to the situations he’s placed in, and those he puts himself in.
• Rourke and Tomei’s on-screen chemistry is palpable. The parallels between Randy and Cassidy are a large part of what draws them together: They’re both past their prime for what they do, which is put on a show that is different from who they are in real life. And in that real life, their relationship skills – often put on hold to please their customers – consist of awkward yet endearing fits and starts that have you hoping they’ll make it work.
• As a former follower of pro wrestling, I can say that The Wrestler accurately captures the essence of the “indie” wrestling leagues: the small, nondescript gyms and banquet halls, the former headliners crossing paths with promising up-and-comers, the reactions and sometimes profane chants of the crowd…it’s all presented here in true-to-life form.
• The Wrestler owes a lot to its haunting musical score by Clint Mansell (featuring Slash) that makes the film even heavier to absorb. In addition, the soundtrack features many ‘80s metal tunes to play into Randy’s time-capsule persona, with songs by Guns ‘n Roses, Ratt, Quiet Riot, Accept, Cinderella, Firehouse, Slaughter, and Scorpions.
• Director Darren Aronofsky and cinematographer Maryse Alberti shoot The Wrestler with a documentary-like feel, creating an over-the-shoulder experience for the viewer. At times it’s almost like you could reach out and touch Randy – and in some scenes, you’ll want to pull him back and save him from himself.
• The filmmakers do a good job of accurately depicting life in blue-collar New Jersey (having lived there, I would know), with mentions of neighboring locations like Allentown, PA and Randy’s possible big match with The Ayatollah in Wilmington, Delaware.

Wrestling trivia:
• All the independent wrestling leagues you see in the movie (WXW, CZW, ROH) are real leagues that do business in the NJ/PA/DE area. In fact, it was WXW owner Afa (of the ’70s tag team The Wild Samoans) who trained Rourke for The Wrestler.
• Don’t know wrestling lingo? Angle, hard way, blading, face, heel, spots…if these terms sound Greek to you, click here for a crash course in wrestling-speak.

At the time of this review, the Oscars are three days away. The race for Best Actor is basically between Rourke for The Wrestler and Sean Penn for Milk. Here are the pros and cons for each man, as I see it:

Pros for Penn: Penn disappeared behind his role and became Harvey Milk. An amazing portrayal of the gay rights activist, which comes following the recent furor by gay advocates surrounding California’s passing of Proposition 8, which eliminated same-sex couples' right to marry in the state.
Con for Penn: He won this award for his work in 2003’s Mystic River. Will the Academy feel it’s too soon to reward him again?

Pros for Rourke: Who doesn’t love a comeback? Rourke brought much of his real-life hardships and career struggles to the role of Randy. And there are many who still value his contributions to film before the ‘90s began.
Con for Rourke: He may have made too many enemies in Hollywood (and amongst Academy members) to earn their vote with just one film.

Me? Both men deserve to win, though I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t love to see a Mickey Rourke acceptance speech.


[UPDATE: Well, Sean Penn won the Oscar...which robbed us of a Mickey Rourke acceptance speech that night. However, he did give an acceptance speech the night before, winning for Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards -- a speech that is profane, hilarious, heartfelt, and worth showing here (NSFW).]

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5).

Will your kids want to watch it?

If they think it’s all about pro wrestling, they might. However, a) there are only about five scenes of in-ring action; and b) The Wrestler is in no way suitable for children:
• A bloody weapons match includes the breaking of tables, smashing of glass panes, and the use of barbed wire and a staple gun.
• During one match, Randy cuts himself on his forehead with a razor blade for added dramatic effect.
• There is a lot of adult language, drug use, and drug-related language.
• Tomei is nude for a large amount of her screen time, and Randy gets explicitly randy with a girl in a nightclub bathroom.

Will your FilmMother like it?

She may not like it – in fact, she may find it hard to watch for its heartbreaking content – but she’d find it hard to deny that The Wrestler is a powerful film, and one that will stick with both of you for days to come.

The Wrestler
* Director: Darren Aronofsky
* Screenwriter: Robert Siegel
* Stars: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood
* MPAA Rating: R


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About Schmidt (2002)

Filmmaker Alexander Payne has turned to his native Omaha, Nebraska for some of his biggest pre-Sideways films (Citizen Ruth, Election). And the city’s flat, broad, bland landscape is the perfect setting and metaphor for Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson), a newly retired insurance professional who – in the opening scene of Payne’s endearing About Schmidt – literally watches the clock tick on the last second of his career before leaving his already-boxed-up office for good.

We then follow Schmidt through the immediate stages of retirement: a farewell dinner, time-filling hobbies, mid-morning errand runs, etc. He must also deal with the impending marriage of his Colorado-based daughter Jeannie (Hope Davis) to underachieving waterbed salesman Randall (Dermot Mulroney). Filling out Schmidt’s time is his decision to adopt an underprivileged orphan in Tanzania (the scene where Warren sees his orphan’s name, Ndugu, in his adoption kit is quietly humorous).

After the sudden death of his wife, Warren evaluates his life via letters he writes to Ndugu and the discovery of an old affair between his wife and best friend. He decides to hit the road in a newly purchased RV. The destination: his daughter’s wedding in Denver. Along the way he meets a whitebread couple doing their own RV trek, visits his college alma mater, and sees various sights you probably wouldn’t recognize unless you live in the heartland.

Fans of Nicholson may have initial concerns over such an expressive actor playing as subdued a role as Schmidt. But that’s the beauty of his performance: As the film progresses, Nicholson pulls us into Warren’s world so well that viewers won’t even notice (or remember) their initial reservations about him playing against type.

In terms of the supporting cast:
• Mulroney is cringe-inducingly memorable as Davis’ fiancé – the kind of small-town loser who you hope won’t corner you at a party with his get-rich-quick schemes (one of which appears in the film).
• Davis, meanwhile, plays Jeannie largely in reactionary bursts of anger and frustration towards Warren that, while largely justified, doesn’t earn her character any points with an audience that is slowly warming up to her flawed on-screen father.
• Kathy Bates appears late in the film as Randall’s mother, adding a little spark that Payne probably thought necessary to see viewers through to the end. No harm, no foul, though her nude hot tub scene may be one of the more talked-about disrobings in recent movie history.

Some viewers of About Schmidt may ask where all the “action” is, feeling that Payne is just taking us on a sprawling, mundane trip. But that’s the point: We’re watching an average man, who has lived an average life, embark on a relatively tame cross-country trek (an incident with the whitebread wife aside). No greater conflict arises than whether or not his daughter is marrying a putz. And when it’s all over, it felt good being along for the ride.

About Schmidt is (and should be) all about Warren P. Schmidt. We witness a man who lived his entire adult life selling insurance (arguably the ultimate symbol of a mediocre, unmemorable career) and married to a softly oppressive wife. He can’t connect with his daughter, but he can open up to a 6-year-old boy he’s never met who lives on another continent. In a letter to Ndugu, Schmidt displays the rhetoric we all feel at some point in our lives – hoping that somehow, in some way, somebody will actually answer with affirmations:

“Relatively soon, I will die. Maybe in 20 years, maybe tomorrow, it doesn't matter. Once I am dead and everyone who knew me dies too, it will be as though I never existed. What difference has my life made to anyone? None that I can think of. None at all. I know we're all pretty small in the big scheme of things, and I suppose the most you can hope for is to make some kind of difference, but what kind of difference have I made? What in the world is better because of me?”

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5).

Will your kids want to watch it?

Even if you offer About Schmidt to your kids despite its R rating (for nudity, language, and the good ol’ “adult situations”), the film’s length and pacing may be too much to ask kids or tweens to sit through. Older teens, however, may find themselves satisfied if invited to watch.

Will your FilmMother like it?

Is she’s interested in dramas focusing on a strained or quirky family dynamic, she should enjoy About Schmidt. Like I said at the beginning of this review, the film is an endearing character study, one that ultimately finds a place in your heart. And the final scene should leave her misty, if not in tears.

About Schmidt
* Director: Alexander Payne
* Screenwriter: Alexander Payne
* Stars: Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney, Len Cariou, Howard Hesseman, Kathy Bates
* MPAA Rating: R (nudity, language, adult situations)


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Superdad (1973)

I’ve always been fascinated by the life, career, and death of actor Bob Crane. He became a household name in the late ‘60s with his TV show Hogan’s Heroes, followed by largely forgettable film and TV work.

He also led a secret life as godfather of the celebrity sex tape – recording countless hours of he and a crony engaging in “activities” with various lady folk. And when Crane was bludgeoned to death in his sleep (ironically, with his own camera tripod) in an Arizona motel in 1978, this crony was the key suspect (but never arrested).

Speaking of Crane’s forgettable film work…since a trip to Disney World in 2001, I’ve been obsessed with Crane’s 1973 Disney film, Superdad. I saw the groovy poster (above) in a ratty gift shop near the park entrance and, while I heard the film was unwatchable, I wanted to find out how unwatchable.

Plus, as curator of a blog focusing on fathers and film, I felt a movie called Superdad sounded perfect for a review.

You know that saying, “be careful what you wish for?”

Plot:
• Charlie McCready (Crane) feels like he’s losing touch with his daughter, Wendy (Cathleen Cody), who will be attending college in the fall with her crowd of high school friends. He also feels these friends have no ambition, especially Wendy’s boyfriend, Bart (Kurt Russell).
• After watching a family relations expert on TV, Charlie decides to get more involved in his daughter’s activities (just what every teenager wants). At one particular intrusion of his daughter and her friends at the beach, he gets pummeled in games of volleyball and football, then eats it big time while water skiing.
• Later, Charlie hatches a plan for Wendy to receive a scholarship to a different college, his alma mater. Wendy attends the other college and sees less of her old crowd, but soon Charlie's plan backfires, causing father/daughter friction – and of course, zany antics on Charlie’s part to try and make things right.

Insipid. Humorless. Boring. Just a few words from my mental thesaurus to describe Superdad. It was so excruciating to watch that I had to break it up over three evenings, even though I had time each night to watch it in its entirety. The pain was just too much to bear in one sitting.

To list all the reasons for this film’s awfulness would take longer than if I watched it a second time (shudder). Some of the larger offenders at work:
• Disney’s saccharine perception of post-hippie high school kids in the early ‘70s.
• The fact that this Disney family “comedy” plays more like a made-for-TV dramedy -- that is, there are a lot of dramatic and confrontational scenes mixed in with the lame high jinks.
• The near-complete absence of a musical score. Not that I enjoy the overabundance of upbeat, horn-heavy scores in older live-action Disney films, but the lack of them in Superdad creates an odd, sterile atmosphere.

The “best” parts of Superdad?
• Catching the early work of future movie stars Kurt Russell, Bruno Kirby (a year before he made The Godfather Part II!), and Ed Begley, Jr.
• During Charlie’s ill-fated water-skiing adventure, Kirby is filming Crane from the boat with a home movie camera. Then all the teenagers watch the footage of Crane’s wipeout back at Wendy's house. The footage Kirby “shot” is the same exact footage you just watched in the movie – complete with long shots, close-ups, and multiple angles. Wow! Kirby coulda been the next Spielberg!

Rating: 1 star (out of 5).

Will your kids like it?

I can’t imagine any kid, then or now, sitting through this film. It makes me curious to find out how they marketed this film, or whom they marketed it to. (I couldn’t find the trailer online.)

Will your FilmMother like it?

You'll never know, because you’ll never tell her of Superdad’s existence. Ever.


Superdad
* Director: Vincent McEveety
* Screenwriter: Joseph L. McEveety
* Stars: Bob Crane, Kurt Russell, Barbara Rush, Joe Flynn, Kathleen Cody, Dick Van Patten, Bruno Kirby
* MPAA Rating: G


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Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

One of my favorite (and most underrated) shows on TV is How I Met Your Mother. It has the distinction of being, aside from The Office, the only live-action sitcom in my TiVo’s Season Pass.

One of the stars of HIMYM (as we fans sometimes call it) is Jason Segel, aka “Marshall” – which is a nice segue into my review of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, written by and starring Segel himself.

Plot:
• Segel plays Peter Bretter, a frustrated musician who works as the composer for a cop show – starring his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) – while trying to finish his dream project: a vampire puppet musical (you read that right).
• After Sarah breaks up with Peter (in a much-ballyhooed scene where Segel is nude), he escapes to Hawaii to be alone, since he had planned to go there anyway before he and Sarah broke up. But guess who else decides to go to Hawaii, and stay at the same hotel – bringing along the man she cheated on Peter with: rock star Aldous Snow (an often hilarious, over-the-top Russell Brand).
• While at the hotel, Peter gets sympathy from (and falls for) hotel employee Rachel, played by That ‘70s Show’s Mila Kunis.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall did offer me several chuckle-out-loud jokes, but overall, I didn’t laugh as much as I had hoped. Still, I found myself invested in the story and Peter’s adventures. Segel does what anyone should do with a character: he makes you feel for Peter, you squirm with his pain, and you actually feel happy for him when things go his way or people treat him nicely.

One pleasant surprise was watching Mila Kunis. She shows nearly none of the traits of her screechy, annoying ‘70s Show character Jackie, and several times I forgot it was Kunis I was watching. It was enjoyable to see her maturing as an actress.

Cameos in the film include Saturday Night Live’s Kristin Wiig as a passive-aggressive yoga instructor, Knocked Up’s Paul Rudd as a spacey surfing instructor, and Superbad’s Jonah Hill as a hotel employee who idolizes Russell Brand’s rock-star character. And SNL’s Bill Hader turns in a hilarious supporting role as Peter’s stepbrother.

I do have one larger gripe, and it’s not with the film itself, but with the way it was marketed...

In all the TV and online trailers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was promoted as a knee-slapping, potentially gross-out comedy – when in reality, it plays more like a dramedy. I accuse last summer’s Knocked Up of the same crime; that too was more slice-of-life with occasional riotous humor. When you expect one thing and are given another, it can be a letdown – even if what you’re shown is good. (An observation: Judd Apatow directed Knocked Up and produced Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I wonder if he oversaw their trailers, too.)

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5).

Will your kids want to watch it?

If you have teens or pre-teens, I can see why they might think Forgetting Sarah Marshall is cut from the same cloth as Superbad, just with older stars. However, be forewarned that in addition to some rather explicit adult language, the film has A LOT of graphic sexual situations (naked and clothed), plus non-sexual nudity by Segel that reveals his, uh, “little Jason.”

Will your FilmMother like it?

Probably, since it’s a relationship movie that – despite ingredients that include Hawaii, a rock star boyfriend, and a vampire puppet show – is ultimately relatable. And you don’t have to tell her this, but it does provide a sweet ending – though it could have reached it a bit sooner, in my opinion (the film clocks in at 2 full hours).


Forgetting Sarah Marshall
* Director: Nicolas Stoller
* Screenwriter: Jason Segel
* Stars: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader
* MPAA Rating: R (sexual content, language and some graphic nudity)


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